I’ve had one wisdom tooth pulled because it literally rotted apart and needed only to take a couple 200ml ibuprofen tablets when I got home from the dentist. Apart from mild soreness, it was a comfortable and inflectionless recovery. I was still even able to chew on that side.

Yes, I have. I was terrified to have all four taken out at once, but I ended up loving my oral surgeon. Also because of the lovely full anesthesia.

I had all four removed. No infection, but I don’t understand how someone could have surgery and not experience any pain. Just because the pain isn’t bad enough to require medication doesn’t make it painless.

I also had all four removed at once. They were all growing in sideways and hitting the roots of my other teeth. I needed stitches, and I spent the rest of the day chomping down on tea bags to help staunch any blood. I had to eat more mashed potatoes and cream of wheat than I care to recall. My jaw was definitely sore, but nothing unbearable. I think I took ibuprofen…. I was in high school, and I was honestly more worried about my cheeks ballooning like a chipmunk’s than anything. I went through a lot of ice. But my cheeks didn’t swell too much, so that was a success.

No infection, though I did have to use a syringe to rinse out the four stitched-up holes in my mouth for the first while, and then make sure I was keeping them clean as they continued to heal. I might have also been given an antibiotic for a few days or a week as a counter-measure. I honestly don’t remember.

I do remember I was bummed to realize I’d be well enough to go to school that Monday, and thrilled when I was allowed to stay home anyway (it was not a fun year for me and I took a few mental health days for sleep’s and sanity’s sakes.)

@Patton What made mine painless was the anesthesia. “Count backwards from twenty, he said.” Me: “20, 19…” and then I was floating in a warm fluffy cloud universe that was very comfortable. I was there for a while, and when I woke up, it was all over, I felt good and happy and didn’t really notice my mouth. I sung Christmas carols, and told everyone I loved them, and went home and went to bed.

The healing was no problem either. Spent a couple of days in bed drinking soup with a little bit of extra pain pills. A slightly inconvenient routine for changing cotton balls or something, but it was easy as pie.

Yes. Local anaesthetic only, dental student performing extraction, 15 minute procedure, no problems with recovery.

@jca Your wisdom tooth was still completely under the gum line and you had a painless recovery? That tooth had never come up to show itself? I don’t consider a tooth that is completely under the gum line “pulled” when taken out. I wouldn’t use that terminology.

I know a lot of people who have had wisdom teeth removed, pulled, and recovery was nothing. Maybe they bothered to take a Tylenol, but not even necessary. I took my husband (then boyfriend) to have a wisdom tooth pulled and it took 5 minutes and it was like nothing happened. He didn’t even know it was done. The dentist had to tell him twice he’s all done.

I don’t know anyone who had them surgically cut out from beneath the gum line who escaped painless. I had all four taken out before they had come through the gum line (they were not visible at all, and were not causing me any trouble yet) and I dealt with the pain with just some Advil, and being careful what I ate for a few days, but carrying on like nothing happened? No, I was drugged up. I couldn’t have worked right after the procedure. Some people just have local anesthetic for the procedure, but they still usually have swelling and pain.

30 years ago I had all 4 taken out at the same time. This was at an oral surgeon and I was knocked out for it. I didn’t have much trouble.

@JLeslie: When I was 18, it was out but the gum was swelled over it. The dentist put some scissors in there and cut the gum off and then pulled the tooth out. I went out that night on a date with just aspirin.

On Friday, when I had the second one out (32 years after the first one), there was a bump in the back of my mouth and it hurt. I wasn’t sure I had a wisdom tooth there because I remember as a teen, the dentist told me I only had two wisdom teeth and at this point I didn’t remember if I had the second one out ever. Anyway, for recovery, no aspirin and I went out to dinner Friday night with friends. I just chewed on the other side.

The dentist said don’t rinse for 24 hours. I never heard that one before because on here, people say they rinsed. Anyway, I tried not to rinse but I did when I brushed my teeth several times within the 24 hour window.

I was 24 when all four were extracted. I was out for it and only took a couple of pain pills after. I remember drinking soup for a couple of days and having to rinse out the sockets with a syringe for a week or two.

My kids both had all four out as young adults and did have a fair bit of discomfort but not complications. They each were on pain meds for a few days and I remember feeding them a lot of chocolate pudding.

Yes I had..it was for only 1 teeth after 30s ( little late in the game) with a small surgery (couple of stitches required) but it was almost painless and no fuss / infection afterwards. Thanks to the experienced staff!!

I just had surgery about 2 months ago on one of my wisdom teeth. It was the first tooth I have ever needed removed and I was very nervous about it so I asked to be put to sleep. The roots were entangled with some nerves so they only took the top part off and left the roots. I had some pain and slept the rest of the day. I worked the next day, but I was swollen.

I was in my late twenties and had never heard any horror stories. I went to my regular dentist , he pulled it out which was painless, no relaxants, stuck cotton up there which I removed half an hour later and had a nice day! So nice to be young without fear. Useless fear.

Not exactly. The dentist says to contact his office if I develop a dry socket but I just flushed my mouth vigorously with Listerine and the problem was solved.

I’ve posted about my experience before on Fluther, but will do so again…

I live in Quebec, where it is the norm to have wisdom teeth removed with a local anaesthetic, a shot just like you’d get for a filling. I had all four impacted wisdom teeth removed in the same session – so, yes, more than one shot, but the same idea.

It took a little while, and there was discomfort as the oral surgeon (it’s not usual to have a dentist do it here) had to work to get the right angle occasionally, but it wasn’t painful, and the recovery period was not long. I was shocked at how much easier it was than I’d been led to expect by people’s horror stories.

@dappled_leaves In my neck of the woods, usually done by an oral surgeon too.

I had all 4 wisdom teeth extracted at once. They put me under.
I awoke demanding my contact lenses, and they laughed at my antics. Then realized I wanted my contacts!
I think the horror stories are repeated.
It depends on your threshold of pain.
And if you notice swelling or jaw discoloration, call an oral surgeon.

I know I have a high pain tolerance because times I’ve had surgery, or once with a bad ankle fracture, I’ve not taken any pain medication. I fill the prescription and then I don’t touch it. In my life, I took one Vicodin one time. It felt nice but I’m not into feeling woozy. I’m more into “tough it out and deal with it.”

Another tactic I use if I have bad pain, I allow myself to feel it and suffer for 10 seconds, and then I try to get over it and move on.

@jca One comment, you have been saying aspirin, possibly you use that word to mean all OTC pain killers, but I advise against it. Aspirin causes bleeding, and is almost never advised immediately after a surgery. Blood thinners are sometimes given after major surgery to avoid blood clots if the patient isn’t able to move around much, but drugs like Heperin have antidotes. Also, the hospital can monitor the blood clotting capabilities of the patient.

@JLeslie: I use the word “aspirin” as a generic term to mean any painkiller (ibuprofin, etc.). It turned out I didn’t use any type of painkiller, no Tylenol, Motrin, Bayer, etc. I’m a rockstar. :)

@jca I only caution you, because this is read by anyone in the internet. If you are ever advising someone to take “aspirin” I think most people use the word literally, and might not understand the risk of bleeding or that it is a risk for Reye’s syndrome in young children with a viral infection. I’m careful not to say aspirin except for coronary risk factor treatment.

@JLeslie: I was talking about my recovery from tooth extraction.

If anybody takes my advice and takes aspirin when I use the word “aspirin” and I’m not a doctor and they’re getting it from a stranger on the internet, it’s on them.

@jca Ok.

@JLeslie: Didn’t mean that to sound snarky. I’m sorry if it did. I just meant I hope nobody takes what I say to be gospel.

@jca Not snarky. All is well.

@Zaku Easy isn’t the same thing as painless. The fact that you had to use anesthesia and pain pills is exactly my point.

Right, @Patton: “A few days in bed with pain pills” is not my idea of easy and painless.